Things to Make for Birthday Presents

Lee MorganUpdated February 21, 2017

Buying someone a present from the store is a nice gesture, and it may even be exactly what he or she wanted. But if you know that the recipient appreciates more personal gifts or if it is a tradition in your family, then making a birthday present on your own may mean a lot more than a store-bought gadget or a new tie. If you have paid attention, then you probably know the kinds of things the person enjoys, but if you are still a bit confused about what to make, there are some good standbys that will always hit the mark.

Cards

For a simple happy birthday, you can make a birthday card with a more personal touch using card stock and your own creativity. Sketch, paint or colour the card and inscribe a personal message they'd never see in a store-bought card. Otherwise, adorn the card with mixed media; use meaningful photos, stamps or die-cut designs to make it look the way you want. If you aren't the crafty type, you can find a wide range of computer software to create designs that look professional while still customising the design to the colours and text you want.

Gift Baskets

Assemble a customised gift basket that will complement the person's interests or personality. Food is always a wonderful gift for a birthday, especially if it's packaged right. You can make a gift basket made from a picnic basket and filled with an assortment of cheeses and wines if the recipient is into wine. You could pack it with microwaveable popcorn packets and a collection of DVDs or Blu-ray discs for the movie buff. Include game tickets, a folded jersey and a new football or baseball for the sports fan. You can put together home-baked cookies or dry recipes with instructions that tell the person what to add to make them fresh at home later.

Flower Arrangements

Some people love flowers. An arrangement of freshly cut flowers in a nice vase can be a great birthday present for those who enjoy the fragrance and beauty of flowers. Find out ahead of time what their favourite types of flowers are if you think they are candidates for this type of gift. Look around their home and think about colour coordination. Put together a mixture of favourite flowers that will look nice on their kitchen table, mantle or other prominent place in the home where they will get to enjoy them all week.

Photo Albums or Videos

It takes time and effort, but there is no better keepsake for a birthday present than to put together an album of photos or a slideshow video that takes them on a journey down memory lane from the time they were born until the present day. The older the person, the more effective this type of present will be. Choose an appropriate album, perhaps with a handmade design on the front if you choose to go with print. If it will be a video, also find out significant music from their life and use it as a soundtrack behind the slide show. Many computers today can make this an achievable project.

References

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About the Author

Lee Morgan is a fiction writer and journalist. His writing has appeared for more than 15 years in many news publications including the "Tennesseean," the "Tampa Tribune," "West Hawaii Today," the "Honolulu Star Bulletin" and the "Dickson Herald," where he was sports editor. He holds a Bachelor of Science in mass communications from Middle Tennessee State University.